San Giorgio Maggiore by Twilight

I wanted to do a painting of something we saw on our trip to Italy in 2016.  This is of San Giorgio Maggiore across from Venice.  I have wanted to "loosen up" my paintings, so I used Claude Monet's impressionistic painting as a model.  Below, you can see Monet's original.

An interesting footnote... I usually frame my paintings in dark wood or black frames.  For some reason, I chose a fancy gold frame.  I thought it might defuse the bright colors of the painting.  I don't know why, but I just wanted it in the gold frame.  When my son, Michael,  saw my painting, he said, "Oh, The Thomas Crown Affair".  I didn't know what he was talking about--then I realized that is the painting that gets stolen in that movie...and it is in a fancy gold frame.

Viking Knitting Bracelet

While watching Jeopardy on TV last week, a contestant mentioned Viking Knitting.  Intrigued by the name, I looked up a tutorial on Youtube.  After a few false starts, I finished the bracelet above.  It came out pretty good, but somehow mine reminds me of the paperclip or staple necklaces and bracelets the girls used to make  when I was in grade school.  Not quit as nice as the ones you see on Youtube.

 

At first, I used 20 gauge wire and a 1" PVC pipe to start the weaving.  The wire was too thick and the pipe was too big.

I switched to 26 gauge wire and a half inch pipe and had better results.

After knitting the wire, you pull it through smaller and smaller holes to compress it. I added Lobster Claw clasps to each end.